--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was thinking as a little girl growing…" description: "\"I was thinking as a little girl growing up that I would be there. When I look at whether we can go to Mars, it's definitely something we can do.\" — Mae..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/mae-jemison-9290_girl_i-was-thinking-as-a-little-girl-growing_145887.jpg" --- # I was thinking as a little girl growing up that I would be… ![“I was thinking as a little girl growing up that I would be there. When I look at whether we can go to Mars, it's definitely something we can do.” quote by Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/mae-jemison-9290_girl_i-was-thinking-as-a-little-girl-growing_145887.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/mae-jemison-9290_girl_i-was-thinking-as-a-little-girl-growing_145887.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/mae-jemison-9290_girl_i-was-thinking-as-a-little-girl-growing_145887.jpg) > “I was thinking as a little girl growing up that I would be there. When I look at whether we can go to Mars, it's definitely something we can do.” [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early aspirations can inspire future achievements, and space exploration remains a tangible goal for humanity. **In simple terms:** Dreams can become reality. Key Takeaway Pursue bold goals despite challenges. Themes ambition space future inspiration Mood optimistic inspired Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - education - policy - career planning Key Concepts visionary thinking STEM advocacy Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to support space exploration? - How do early dreams shape long‑term career paths? A Different Perspective Resources and collaboration are essential for space missions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Little girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-girl/) [Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mars/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I'd love to go into space again if there were a mission to Mars. I'd also love to go to a completely different planetary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-d-love-to-go-into-space-again-if-there-were-a-mission-to-mars-i-d/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I believe the biggest impediment we have right now with going to Mars is public commitment. More people need to see themselves as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-believe-the-biggest-impediment-we-have-right-now-with-going-to-mars/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I think we know how to do Mars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-think-we-know-how-to-do-mars/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Imagine we could accelerate continuously at 1 g-what we're comfortable with on good old terra firma-to the midpoint of our voyage, and decelerate continuously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/imagine-we-could-accelerate-continuously-at-1-g-what-we-re/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I hope I'm still alive to see an expedition set off for Mars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/i-hope-i-m-still-alive-to-see-an-expedition-set-off-for-mars/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [ \[On President Bush's plan to get to Mars in 10 years\] Stupid. Robots would do a better job and be much cheaper because you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/on-president-bush-s-plan-to-get-to-mars-in-10-years-stupid-robots/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I would suspect strongly that over a period of time, if we put our mind to going to Mars, it will be a consortium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lovell/i-would-suspect-strongly-that-over-a-period-of-time-if-we-put-our/) [Jim Lovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lovell/) > [Whether Earth was deliberately terraformed, in other words, or whether it was seeded with the spores of life from crashed comets or whether, indeed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-hancock/whether-earth-was-deliberately-terraformed-in-other-words-or-whether/) [Graham Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-hancock/) > [I'm absolutely compelled for NASA to send international astronauts to Mars to find out if Mars ever harbored life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-grunsfeld/i-m-absolutely-compelled-for-nasa-to-send-international-astronauts-to/) [John M. Grunsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-grunsfeld/) > [We do need different types of propulsion to get to Mars. I wrote one of the first Ph.D. theses on that in the 1960s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-do-need-different-types-of-propulsion-to-get-to-mars-i-wrote-one/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I stayed in the astronaut program until 1993. People ask me why I left. I thought I had a lot of things to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-stayed-in-the-astronaut-program-until-1993-people-ask-me-why-i-left/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) ## More by Mae Jemison > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Science provides an understanding of a universal experience. Arts provide a universal understanding of a personal experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/science-provides-an-understanding-of-a-universal-experience-arts/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [One Hundred Year Starship really is about the idea that is we pursue an extraordinary tomorrow; we'll build a better world today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/one-hundred-year-starship-really-is-about-the-idea-that-is-we-pursue/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I stayed in the astronaut program until 1993. People ask me why I left. I thought I had a lot of things to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-stayed-in-the-astronaut-program-until-1993-people-ask-me-why-i-left/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/never-be-limited-by-other-people-s-limited-imaginations/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Once I got into space, I was feeling very comfortable in the universe. I felt like I had a right to be anywhere in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/once-i-got-into-space-i-was-feeling-very-comfortable-in-the-universe/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [There is a fascination with the idea that one has 'seen someone else do something' before one can achieve it. Maybe that's true in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/there-is-a-fascination-with-the-idea-that-one-has-seen-someone-else/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [The drills we do, where you're telling kids to memorize things, don't actually work. What works is engaging them and letting them do things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/the-drills-we-do-where-you-re-telling-kids-to-memorize-things-don-t/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Some people say they feel very small when they think about space. I felt more expansive, very connected to the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/some-people-say-they-feel-very-small-when-they-think-about-space-i/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I wanted to be a professional dancer for a period of time, and I did a lot of dancing and choreography and got paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-wanted-to-be-a-professional-dancer-for-a-period-of-time-and-i-did-a/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Sometimes people ask me how difficult the astronaut program was, but being in Sierra Leone, being responsible for the health of more than 200…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/sometimes-people-ask-me-how-difficult-the-astronaut-program-was-but/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [In space, you need to exercise your heart since it's not pumping blood around at the same rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/in-space-you-need-to-exercise-your-heart-since-it-s-not-pumping-blood/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I think we know how to do Mars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-think-we-know-how-to-do-mars/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I believe the biggest impediment we have right now with going to Mars is public commitment. More people need to see themselves as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-believe-the-biggest-impediment-we-have-right-now-with-going-to-mars/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I had great mentors in my parents who always sought to understand the world around them. And they would push me to really think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-had-great-mentors-in-my-parents-who-always-sought-to-understand-the/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) [Explore all 73 Mae Jemison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) ## More Girl quotes > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [In 1990, when they asked me to shoot a cover for 'British Vogue' to convey my personal vision of a woman, I explained that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lindbergh/in-1990-when-they-asked-me-to-shoot-a-cover-for-british-vogue-to/) [Peter Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lindbergh/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [BOY: what do u want more than anything? GIRL: to stand in the middle of the street in the pouring rain and have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana13/boy-what-do-u-want-more-than-anything-girl-to-stand-in-the-middle-of/) [Ana13](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana13/) > [I'm just a girl trying to find a way in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-just-a-girl-trying-to-find-a-way-in-this-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) Jennifer Siebel Newsom > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [Good girls don't hurt other people's feelings. Good girls are not overly aggressive, competitive, or boastful. Good girls please others. But what good girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jane-gilman/good-girls-don-t-hurt-other-people-s-feelings-good-girls-are-not/) [Susan Jane Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jane-gilman/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I want a man that when I come running up to him with tears running down my face, the first thing he says is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-a-man-that-when-i-come-running-up-to-him-with-tears-running/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [New Girl' is always a top priority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-seager/new-girl-is-always-a-top-priority/) [Corey Seager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-seager/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) [Browse all 19,043 Girl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was thinking as a little girl growing up that I would be there. 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